High Court Says No to Lufkin Industries’ Appeal

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review a lower court decision requiring Lufkin Industries Inc. to pay $5.5 million for discriminating against black employees. The ruling Monday means the money can be divvied up among 1,000 current and former employees and ends a class action lawsuit initiated 14 years ago by two black employees who have since left the company. Lufkin Industries had filed a writ in September asking that the court review a 2009 ruling by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark that awarded damages for what the judge called unlawful discrimination in awarding promotions. The publicly traded company manufactures oil field equipment and employs about 3,000 workers worldwide. It was founded in Lufkin 109 years ago and remains headquartered there.